Vulitara (‘learning by doing’): The importance of watching, listening and imitating in the teaching and learning of Fijian 'sigidrigi'

This article focuses on the teaching and learning methods used in a Fijian music genre known as sigidrigi, primarily focusing on a method labelled vulitara (learning by doing) by cultural insiders (emics). As in all ethnographic research, this article aims to primarily represent the perspectives and understandings of cultural insiders (emics). For the purposes of crosscultural comparison, this article also compares and contrasts these emic perspectives with those of cultural outsiders (etics). In this case, the author - an etic researcher - utilises her own music teaching and learning experiences, as well as the work of scholars of Western music pedagogy, as the basis for this cross-cultural comparison. This comparison has been undertaken to highlight similarities and differences between the vulitara method and music teaching and learning methods used in other cultures.